Galgalo

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

A Mombasa court has granted police additional seven days to
investigate 13 men arrested during Masjid Musa and Sakina raid two weeks ago.

Principal magistrate Justus Kituku
granted the application by prosecutor Paul Makonde who
said
the ongoing investigations are wide and complex and involves
establishing link between the suspects and Al-Shabaab terrorist outfit.

In his prayers, Mr Makonde asked the court to grant
police two more weeks to complete their investigation which they did not
conclude within seven other days the court had earlier been them last week.

He expressed that the suspects would be faced with new
additional new including being members of Al-Shabaab.

The suspects were last week charged with being in possession
of explosives contrary to section 6 (1) of the explosive act cap 115 laws of
Kenya.

Five accused persons denied being found in possession of five hand grenades on
November 17, 2014 at Musa mosque without the authority from explosive licensing
officers.

The number of former Kenya navy soldiers sentenced to
life imprisonment increased Thursday to six a court martial sitting at the Kenya Navy
Mtongwe handed similar sentence to a senior private serviceman.

Senior private Alfred Ketole was convicted by a
panel of military judges of disserting job at time of war and subsequently handed
life sentence.

The panel of officers of the rank of majors and colonel passed the
verdict after Judge advocate Elizabeth Usui who is also Kwale principle magistrate summed up
the prosecution evidence.

She asked
them to determine whether the prosecution case was proven beyond any reasonable
doubt, to which the panel approved unanimously and passed the sentence.

Mr Ketole‘s lawyer Michael
Mwanyale confirmed the sentence passed days
after the same panel sealed the fate of his four other colleagues.

Four months
ago, lieutenant
Jeffery Pepela was sentenced to life imprisonment by another court martial
presided over by judge advocate Joyce Gandani who is Mombasa senior principle
magistrate.

Mr Pepela has also filed his appeal before the High
Court Justice Martin Muya where his lawyers have expressed that he will apply
to be released on bond until his appeal is heard and determined.

They were charged of deserting job while in acting
service contrary to section 74(a I) as read
with section 74(3) (a) (I) of the Kenya Defense Force act 2012.

They were accused of deserting KDF
on diverse dates in the year 2007 and joining private America security firms
where they were deployed in war torn countries in the Middle East including
Iraq, Syrian and Jordan among others.

They were initially charged with
deserting KDF contrary to section 74(a I) which ordinary attract two years
sentence in jail before the charge sheet was amended.

A group of Muslim leaders, civil societies and
politicians have called for unconditional and immediately removal of police siege
placed around four mosques in Mvita and Kisauni sub-counties of Mombasa County.

They warned the government that it is counterproductive
to close Masjid Musa, Sakina, Swafaa and Minaa and violation of the
constitutional right to freedom of worship.

They argued that the government should deal with
underling issues including problem of radicalization, violent gangs terrorizing
residents, drug abuse among other social problems.

The sentiments were delivered by Supreme Council of
Kenya Muslim (SUPKEM), Haki Africa and Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) organizations,
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and his Kisauni counterpart Rashid Benzimba.

Supkem
National chairman Prof Abdulghaful El-Busaidy said he did not expect security
officers to raid the four mosques clad in their full regalia including boots.

He observed that such action is not only igniting
emotions of the entire Muslims community but working in the favour of those
with extreme religious views.

The leaders further argued that the raid at the four
mosques and their subsequent closure is detrimental to peace and harmony among
Kenyans and urged the government to stop raising unnecessary animosity and
tension in the coast.

Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid, Mr
Nassir and Mr Benzimba said Muslims and political leaders in Mombasa are ready
to work with the government deal with insecurity caused by radical youths and
violent gangs in estates.

But on the same breath, they asked the government to
stop its counterproductive tactics to escalate issues and unconditional open Masjid
Musa, Sakina, Swafaa and Minaa.

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Six
armed men were Sunday gunned down and several others injured when a
gang of about 20 armed youths attempted to raid the Nyali Army Barracks
at dawn.

A similar incident occurred in Malindi when armed men attempted to overrun an Administration Police camp but were overpowered.

The
two raids took place at about 5.30am

Circumstances
of the daring attacks were scanty but sources indicated that the youths
armed conducted the raid under the cover of
heavy rainfall.

Speaking
during a press brief at Uhuru na Kazi Building, the Mombasa County
Commissioner Nelson Marwa said in the ‘wee hours’ 20 youths attacked the
17 Kenya Army Rifles Nyali Barracks but were repulsed.

He said the gang dressed in black trousers resembling track-suit bottoms,
black T-shirts and sky blue ribbons around their heads, unsuccessfully attempted to
gain entry into the barracks, housing the 17 Kenya Rifles, an infantry battalion.Officers shot dead six and arrested one before recovering knives, pangas and literature.

Marwa warned that the government would take decisive action against anybody planning to cause mayhem in the county.

He dismissed there was casualty from the security officers and improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) were recovered from the gang.